Red Bull Teka KTM’s Ken Roczen on Sunday sealed the MX2 World championship title with one clear round in hand. The 17-year old talent was in perfect form when he attacked the track at Gaildorf, Germany in the GP of Europe to take the title with one round in hand.
Urged on by thousands of loyal fans and the entire KTM factory team Roczen settled the issue after the second moto to pick up his first senior world championship title but was still shadowed by his teammate and toughest competitor Jeffrey Herlings.
With the victory, Roczen, widely recognized as one of the hottest MX properties around and still only 17, became Germany’s first motocross champion in 40 years and his home crowd gave him a reception that he will long remember.
Roczen signed with the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Team in January 2011. Shortly after he grabbed plenty of attention riding AMA Supercross Lites in the West Coast series in the USA. Ken, on a fast learning curve in the highly competitive series even secured his first SX podium towards the end of the season. He even had a couple of impressive outings on the KTM 350 SX-F in the open class. A favorite throughout the world championship season, Roczen started strongly, then overcame a mid season lapse to settle down to a string of unassailable victories in the second half that allowed him to put his stamp firmly on the title. The only other rider to challenge him, especially on sand tracks, was his KTM teammate Jeffrey Herlings and the two set about making the season a two-way competition.
The young German’s stats for the 2011 MX2 GP racing season are very impressive. In the 13 rounds so far he has taken seven GP victories and was on the podium in second place three times. Riding the KTM 250 SX-F he has only missed being on the box twice so far this season. Up to his title win he had 19 race victories, five seconds and one third place.
Ken, who turned 17 in April 2011, was born in 1994 in Mattstedt / Thüringen in Germany has amassed an impressive range of titles after receiving his first ever 50 ccm bike for Christmas in 1996. He began is racing career the following year and was on the international talent radar screen at a very early age. In 2012 Ken will ride for Red Bull KTM in the USA and even through the AMA SX season does not start till January 5 in Anaheim, he is already being tipped as one of the hottest riders for next season.
Roczen’s victory, which follows that of KTM rider Marvin Musquin in 2010 is testament to the commitment and planning of the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory team headed by Pit Beirer, KTM’s Head of Racing and factory team manager and MX legend Stefan Everts to establish the KTM brand at the very forefront of international motocross.
Roundup of Ken Roczen’s title winning season
Round 1 – MX2 GP of Bulgaria finished 1
Round 2 – MX2 GP of Netherlands finished 2
Round 3 – MX2 GP of USA finished 1
Round 4 – MX2 GP of Brazil finished 2
Round 5 – MX2 GP of France finished 11
Round 6 – MX2 GP of Portugal finished 8
Round 7 – MX2 GP of Spain finished 1
Round 8 – MX2 GP of Sweden finished 1
Round 9 – MX2 of Germany finished 1
Round 10 – MX2 of Latvia finished 1
Round 11 – MX2 GP of Limberg in Lommel finished 2
Round 12 – MX2 of Britain finished 1
Round 13 – MX2 of Europe at Gaildorf, Germany finished 2
Round 14 – MX2 of Italy at Fermo to be decided
